This is no ordinary secret realm!
Li Yan was on guard, instinctively gripping the hilt of the Duan Chen Blade.
Before he could take a closer look, the dense fog ahead suddenly surged, like a giant curtain slowly unfurling.
In an instant, a cacophony of sounds rushed toward him.
But on the murky river, there lay a huge painted boat.
The boat was massive, with three layers, its style ancient and peculiar, certainly not of the current dynasty's design.
The wood of the ship's body was dark brown, almost black, covered with traces of age; the towering ship's eaves and architraves were intricately carved, yet everywhere the paint was peeling, the gold leaf dim, exuding an air of decayed luxury.
On both sides of the ship, countless eerie red lanterns were hanging.
As seen earlier, they painted the murky river waters around them a blood red.
The sound of strings and flutes rose from the ship, cacophonous, mixed with a faint song:
